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springs is diy but difficult. I do a lot of work on my cars and this was a 7/10 in difficulty. If it's your first time, assuming you have tools required, I would plan for a 8-10 hour job
I recently got quotes from 3 shops in Seattle area for install and alignment. User supplied springs and spacers. Prices: 900, 1100, 1500 so there's a range. One shop wanted 400 for alignment.
Anyone in the Seattle area who likes to work on Porsches PM me.
I did it after reading up on it and didn't find it too difficult. I have a C4S which complicates things as you have to disconnect the front axles to swing the strut out. Having done a number of suspension installations on other cars though, I found the installation went relatively smooth on these cars. If you have PASM you'll need to buy a special pass through socket to undo the top nut. You can also sacrifice a socket and cut a window into it, which is what we did and worked fine.
I did it after reading up on it and didn't find it too difficult. I have a C4S which complicates things as you have to disconnect the front axles to swing the strut out. Having done a number of suspension installations on other cars though, I found the installation went relatively smooth on these cars. If you have PASM you'll need to buy a special pass through socket to undo the top nut. You can also sacrifice a socket and cut a window into it, which is what we did and worked fine.
I just replaced all four shocks 2009 PASM... same work for replacing springs... and I found it very difficult and time consuming as the instructions on the 'net were had some deficiencies for a 997.2 and PASM. It also took me about 13 hours but that included 2 runs to a tool store and I was exhausted when done.
Regarding the top nut on the PASM shocks for rear, a simple pass through ratchet works fine and the nut and you don't need a special tool (Hazet makes one for abouut $90. For the fronts, there is a wacky concave washer under that nut with detents that appear to be for a new mystery tool. I just used a darn plumbers pipe wrench on it with a pass through ratchet for the nut. I royal pain.
Anyway, you can do this work but the key is time... tenacity... mechanical ability, and tools tools tools. You will need a whole variety of wrench sizes as the 'net instructions were not correct for 2009 and I needed virtually every odd size.
If you have pass through 19mm and 21mm sockets then you won't need anything else for the PASM shocks. I had a 19mm pass through but not a 21mm hence making a custom socket with a window for it to work.
The shaft of the PASM struts have a groove in it, and the top mounts and washers are "pinned" for the groove to stop it from rotating as the top nut is tightened or loosened. It's actually a nice feature so you can keep the assembly from moving when you service these parts. Most other manufacturers don't do this.
But yes, if somebody is going to DIY this, presume they will have a wide range of tools available, or at least acquire them ahead of time if they're specialty tools, like the pass through 21mm socket, spring compressors, etc.
If you have pass through 19mm and 21mm sockets then you won't need anything else for the PASM shocks. I had a 19mm pass through but not a 21mm hence making a custom socket with a window for it to work.
The shaft of the PASM struts have a groove in it, and the top mounts and washers are "pinned" for the groove to stop it from rotating as the top nut is tightened or loosened. It's actually a nice feature so you can keep the assembly from moving when you service these parts. Most other manufacturers don't do this.
But yes, if somebody is going to DIY this, presume they will have a wide range of tools available, or at least acquire them ahead of time if they're specialty tools, like the pass through 21mm socket, spring compressors, etc.
See, this was not so for my 2009 C2S with PASM. This information really caused me trouble..... not your fault of course, but these cars differ from year to year.
My top PASM nuts were 20mm and 19mm (20mm are not part of a standard wrench set and I had to buy a singular wrench after I started work). The front PASM shocks were different from the rear, in that the rears did not have that big odd, yellowish concave washer that the front does. With a pass through wrench, I could easily loosen the rear top nut with the shocks on the car. No big deal, did not take much strength as the nut was not frozen or that tight.
The fronts were a royal pain. First, that big concave washer has the nub that locks to the shaft, but will spin with the nut. You must remove the strut to loosen this nut. You MUST grab that washer to counter the nut and you cant do this with the strut on the car (maybe the mystery tool can get in there but it should be easier with the strut out anyway). That washer has a weird nubs on it for some mystery tool. I used a plumber's pipe wrench on it. I knicked it up a bit, but that washer is made of really hard metal. See picture below.
I am going to do a write up in a few days..... with more pics. I will start a special post.
See, this was not so for my 2009 C2S with PASM. This information really caused me trouble..... not your fault of course, but these cars differ from year to year.
My top PASM nuts were 20mm and 19mm (20mm are not part of a standard wrench set and I had to buy a singular wrench after I started work). The front PASM shocks were different from the rear, in that the rears did not have that big odd, yellowish concave washer that the front does. With a pass through wrench, I could easily loosen the rear top nut with the shocks on the car. No big deal, did not take much strength as the nut was not frozen or that tight.
The fronts were a royal pain. First, that big concave washer has the nub that locks to the shaft, but will spin with the nut. You must remove the strut to loosen this nut. You MUST grab that washer to counter the nut and you cant do this with the strut on the car (maybe the mystery tool can get in there but it should be easier with the strut out anyway). That washer has a weird nubs on it for some mystery tool. I used a plumber's pipe wrench on it. I knicked it up a bit, but that washer is made of really hard metal. See picture below.
I am going to do a write up in a few days..... with more pics. I will start a special post.
Peace
Bruce in Philly
You're jogging my memory. You're right, the front strut mount isn't locked in unison with the shock shaft - and it shouldn't since the car needs to steer.
What we did was get that washer clamped in a vice and we spun the top nut off that way. I checked my drawer though, and our home-made tool was definitely a 21mm - although it sounds like you had a 20mm one on yours.
I am going to do a write up in a few days..... with more pics. I will start a special post.
Hi Bruce,
Please post something in this thread (to which I just subscribed) to let us know when you have posted your write up. I am very interested in the process you went through and the gotchas that you ran into. I plan on putting on springs in January. Thanks for taking the time to help other out!!!
My local shop quoted me $960 for install labor and alignment. C2s Tha alignment portion of the total is $225 Sounds like this maybe a reasonable price.
That's better than I received. My quote was $1080 for install + $250 more for alignment.
11-18-2015, 03:08 PM
Installing lowering springs? 997.2S
